The first thing you notice when you walk into GreenStar's new central kitchen and bakery facility is its size. The place is cavernous. The second thing you notice — it smells amazing. It seems odd that barbecue sauce and baked goods could combine into one tantalizing aroma, but that's exactly what was happening the day I visited. (If I had to list the third thing, it would be the floor. It's a delightful shade of bright blue.)

The new facility, designed by GreenStar's architect Pam Wooster with input from Deli and Bakery staff, is about 2760 square feet. Prepared Foods Manager Erik Lucas gave me a tour, showing off the new walk-in cooler and freezer, a loading area, sushi station, dishroom (itself about the size of the old Deli space), and the expansive kitchen and bakery area, loaded with gleaming stainless steel appliances (over 60 pieces of new equipment were installed), and humming with busy staff members cooking up old favorites and new recipes.

"It's certainly like nothing GreenStar has ever seen," said General Manager Brandon Kane. "It's gorgeous, efficient, and state-of-the-art. Outside of the colleges, I'm unaware of a production kitchen on this scale in this town."

That increased scale will allow GreenStar to do several things. The Co-op's catering program will be greatly expanded. New Deli and Bakery products are already in both stores, and will continue to appear. If a third store location is added in years to come, "that would just be added to the delivery route, as we've consolidated all of our production into one hub," Brandon said. The possibility of wholesaling GreenStar-made food to other area retailers is also being explored.

GreenStar's deli is far from traditional, but with a new focus on local, fresh and handmade interpretations of classic dishes from around the globe, the Delicatessen @ GreenStar joins a long line of eateries that feel like home to their patrons.

The American deli was born out of the simple longing of a people for their comfort food. As Eastern European Jewish immigrants settled in the cities of the Northeast in the late 1800s, they brought with them their homemade recipes and created an institution — the deli. Some of these ancestral delis, such as the famous Katz's, which opened on the Lower East Side of New York City in 1888, are still here today, and the idea of "the deli" has thoroughly permeated American cuisine.

The GreenStar deli's new menu does include some of those traditional Jewish deli foods — knishes, corned beef – while encompassing simple, seasonal and handmade food from many traditions. Whatever culinary background you hail from, whatever the cuisine you crave, whether you're a hardcore vegan or dedicated carnivore, you'll find something to love in GreenStar's deli.

Tucked away behind the roadside foliage in Newfield, NY, there is a lot of “good stuff” going on. Good Stuff by Mom & Me, that is.

To be exact, GreenStar’s fast-selling raw foods supplier is actually run by two down-to-earth mothers, Tanya Petrich and Claire Lunny, who have been in business since October of last year. However, when you meet them, you’d think they have been a dynamic duo for years. They joke and giggle and compliment each other as they cut brownies or prep sprouted cashews. Their workspace is as inviting as their personalities — the soft lighting, wood floors and granite countertops make you feel like you’re at home.

New in the Deli

Our cheese case is packed full of local offerings. Explore some of what our local cheese-makers have to offer.

We're feeling appreciative of our amazing array of local cheeses and invite you to come take a closer look. Side Hill Acres out of Candor and Lively Run out of Interlaken focus on goat cheeses. Both places make themselves available for touring if you'd like to make an excursion to meet the goats and see how the cheeses are made! (Did you know there are six breeds of dairy goats?) Keeley's Cheese Co., based in King Ferry, offers their signature semi-soft raw-milk cheese with a washed rind ("luscious, buttery, earthy, and complex") called Across the Pond. We also offers cheeses from Chaseholm Farm Creamery, Cooperstown Cheese Company, Engelbert Farms, Jake's Gouda, Kenton's Cheese Company, Old Chatham Sheepherding Company, Shtayburne Farm, and Yancey's Fancy — all adding up to a plethora of flavors and textures to choose from. Take a new cheese home every time you shop!